Locomotive boiler



Oct. 22, 11929. A, w NELSQN 1,732,768

LoCoMoTIvE BoILEn Filed June 18. 1928 :s sheets-sheet 1 Oct. 22,. 1929. A. w. NELSON LOQOMOTIVE BOILEB 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 18, 1928 Oct. 2.2, 1929. v A. w. NELSON 1,732,758

LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed June 18, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lPatentec-l Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR W. NELSON, OF PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LOCOMOTIVE FIREBOX COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Appncatiuniiled June 18,

This invention relates to improvements in locomotive boilers having a iirebox wherein iuel, such as oil is burned in suspension and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an arrangement of certain water heating and circulating` elements in the firebox, which partially bottoms thesame and includes two downwardly and inwardly extending fiat tubular water walls, each of which has enlarged tubular side margins or bulges with the lower or inner side margin of each wall connected by a conduit extending forwardly to the-boiler barrel and with the rear end of each outer margin connected to an iadjacent side water legnear the back water Another object of the invention is to provide in a locomotive boiler, a construction of this kind wherein connection with each side water leg may be provided through substantially small openings whereby the parts may be readily removed for converting the iirebox into a coal burner as is sometimes necessarv.

These objects of the invention, as Well as others, together with the many advantages thereof, will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the fireboX end of a locomotive boiler embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the same as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with the firebrick burner and associated parts omitted to better disclose the construction andarrangement of the water heating and circulating elements.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the rebox end of the boiler as taken on the line 3-3 ot Fig. l.

Fig. t is another transverse vertical sectional view through the bottom end portion of the tirebox as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

ReferringV now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated inthe ac- 1923. serial No. 286,443.

companying drawings: 1 indicatesas a whole the barrel of the boiler in which are arranged the usual iues 2. The fireboX of the boiler is formed by the flue sheet 3, rear sheet 4, side sheets 5-5 and crown sheet 6 all connected together in the manner well known. The bottom portion 3a of the flue sheet forms the throat sheet of the iireboX.

The i'ireboX wrapper comprises the top plate 7, the side plates 8-8, the outside throat plate 9 and the outside back plate 10. The wrapper just described, together with the iirebox sheets before mentioned, define the several water legs oi the boiler i. e., the side legs 11, the front leg or throat 12, and back leg 13 all closed at the bottom by the usual mud ring 14. The ireboX sheets are joined to the wrapper plates by means of stay bolts 15 in the manner well known. 16 indicates a door opening which is normally closed by a door (not siown). This opening provides the fuel door opening in case the fireboX is converted into a coal burner as is sometimes necessary and which conversion may be readily made with but comparatively small expense.

In the middle bottom portion of the iirebox I provide a novel water steaming and circulating means indicated as a whole by the numeral 17 in Fig. 2. Said means comprises a pair of laterally spaced flat, hollow elements or walls 18-18 which are disposed, one along the bottom portion of each side water leg of the boiler and said legs extend downwardly and inwardly therefrom so as to be spaced apart equally on each side of the median line ot' the irebox. Each element is in the form ol a flat tube or body of a length greater than its width and of a suitable depth and so that neck 23 is radially flanged for detachable connection with associated conduits as will later appear. To support these elements in position, I affix to the fireboX side sheets, shortly above the mud ring, angle bars 24 upon whiclr the top bulged portions engage so as to be spaced from the associated side sheet; the space between said side sheets and bulged portions being filled with a suitable refractory material 25. `The bottom bulged portions of said elements rest upon longitudinally spaced straps 26-26 fixed at their ends to the side portions of the mud ring and the space between the bottom bulged portions of said elements are'bridged or closed by a brick arch 27 :in which there is provided at a pointbetweenl its ends, an air inlet opening 28 to support combustion.

` The intake neck `of eachelement is connected with the bottom of the boiler barrel by a conduit 29 and tofacilitate assembly and to reduce cost of manufacture, I preferably make said conduitV in more than one section. As

. best shown in Fig. l I make said conduit of a substantially straight tubular section 30 which is fixed to the associated intake neck 23 and passes beneath the front portion of the mud ring and an elbow section 31 which is fixed at one end to the section 30 and curves upwardly to be fixed to the barrel of the boiler at point'well in advance of the front waterleg 12. Preferably'said straight tubular andelbow sections are flanged as shown for attachment, the one to theother.

'z'Ihe rea-r end v,extension 22 of each top bulged portion is connected with the adjacent side leg 1l by a combined riser and elbow 32, one end of which is butt-welded to said extension as -at 33 and the other end of which enters and is fixed to a flexible diaphragm portion 34 formed in the ,side sheet. The riser 32 is preferably short in height and is connected to the side sheet, at a point a suitable distance above the mud ring and toward therear water leg ofthe boiler'.

The elementsy 18-18 are disposed inthe mid portion of the firebox so that the front and rear endsof the elements are spaced from the likefen'ds. of the firebox. The space to the yfront of said elements is closed by a front orburner wall 35 and the space to the rear ofsaid elements is closed by a rear or flash wall 36,.both walls beingvmade of firebrick.V In the .front or. burner wall there is located a fuel nozzle 37 ofthe oil burner type and said burnerprojects through an opening 3S-inthe burner wall 35.

VIn operation, the intense heat from the fuel burningin suspension, inthe firebox over the elements, causes a rapid absorption of heat by .the upper sides thereof, which heat in turn is taken up by the water insaid elements, thus converting part of 1t into steam. Because ofthe inclined positions of the elements, a

rapid flow of water from the conduits 29 into the elements takes place and from there, passes through the risers into the side water legs of the boiler. By reasons of the connections described for each element, a large volume of water enters each element along its entire bottom side and as the discharge of each element is at one end and to the rear of each element, it is assured that the elements which present a large superficial area will at all times be filled with water to absorb the heat units from the fuel burning in suspension. As the discharge from each element is located near the rear and bottom end of each side water leg, the upward flow of water in the side legs will draw upon the water in the rear leg'so that circulation is materially increased in both side and rear water legs.

The parts described are confined to firebox dimensions so that they do not interfere with the numerous other parts of the locomotive and-they are so disposed in the firebox that they are not subjected vto such widely different temperature changes as will cause them to be seriously affected by resulting strains and stresses.

As is apparent, the construction described, readily lends itself for complete removal when it is necessary under certain conditions to convert the firebox into a coal burner. While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, the same is to be considered merely as illustrative so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my'invention l. A locomotive boiler construction ernbodying therein, a barrel and a firebox having,r sheets forming parts of the front, rear and side water legs of the boiler, a pair of relatively flat, hollow water heating and circulating elements disposed in the firebox and each extending downwardly and inwardly from an associated side sheet, means providing an intake for boiler water from the barrel of the boiler connected to the inner bottom side margins of said elements and other means providing a discharge for each element at the rear end o'f-the top marginal side thereof, which opens into one of said legs adjacent another one of said legs.

2. A locomotive boiler construction eni- -b0dying therein, a barrel and a firebox having sheets forming parts of the front, rear and side water legs of the boiler, a pair of relatively flat,hollow water heating and circulating elements disposed in'the firebox and each extending downwardly and inwardly from an associated side sheet, a conduit providing an intake for the inner bottom side margin of each element, for delivering boiler water theretoand meansiconnecting the rear end of the top marginal side of each element with an associated side Water leg, near said rear water leg.

3. A locomotive boiler construction embodying therein, a barrel and a ireboX having sheets forming parts of the front, rear and side water legs of the boiler, a pair of relatively fiat, hollow water heating and circulating elements disposed in the iireboX and each extending downwardly and inwardly from an associated side sheet, each element having` bulged portions along each side margin, means providing an intake for each bottom bulged portion for delivering boiler Water thereto and means connecting the rear end of each top bulged portion with one of said water legs.

l. A locomotive boiler construction embodying therein, a barrel and a irebox having sheets forming parts of the front, rear and side water legs of the boiler, a pair of relatively fiat, hollow water heating and circulating elements disposed in the ireboX and each extending downwardly and inwardly from an associated side sheet, each element having bnlged portions along its top and bottom side margins, means providing an intake for each bottom bnlged portion for delivering boiler water thereto and a riser connected at one end to the rear end of each top bulged portion and opening through an adjacent side sheet.

5. A locomotive boiler construction embodying therein, a barrel and a irebox having sheets forming parts of the front, rear. and side water legs of the boiler, a pair of relatively flat, hollow water heating and circulating elements disposed in the lireboX and each extending downwardly and inwardly from an associated side sheet, each element having bulged portions along its top and bottom side margins, means providing a conduit connecting the front end of each bottom bulged portion with the barrel at a point forward of the front water leg and a riser connected at one end to the rear end of each top bulged portion and connected to and opening through an adjacent side sheet at a point above said top bnlged portion.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 31st day of May, 1928.

ARTHUR WM. NELSON. 

